To think bull terriers and other dangerous dogs should be banned from parks

[Gangle]

I know they have to be walked somewhere but sick of seeing horrible savage dogs on the loose just looking like they're ready to maul a child. I stick to the dog free areas with DS but you occasionally get dogs in there and usually with owners too scary looking to question. And why of why do people let their kids near them or even thinking about having those types of dogs if you have young children?

[OrmIrian]

Well I like dogs. Even the scary ones. And I don't care if they are in parks because usually (well always ime) they want to sniff you and move on. They only want to be patted or stroked if you ask them very nicely. Where are all these overly friendly dogs who jump up?

[LetThereBeRock]

I don't see what that has to do with my statement but anyway the point is that the problem is generally with the owners and not the breed.

I do believe that dogs should be kept under control at all times and I'd only allow my dog off leash in a dog specific area part of the park.

I've been chased/attacked by three dogs, all three of which were baring their teeth and snapping at me.

One was a lab, one a border collie and another a Maltese. Should they also be banned from parks? Now the Maltese perhaps wasn't so much of an issue for a grown adult but the lab and border collie were certainly big enough to do considerable damage.

[LetThereBeRock]

Perhaps it's anti social owners we ought to ban,with or without their dogs.

[ShinyAndNew]

I never said they are all equally dangerous. I said they all have the potential to be dangerous.

Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and many other bull terrier type dogs are not on the dangerous dogs list. Infact a staff is one of the few breeds that the Kennel Club recommend for families with children.

A yorkshire terrier, or highly strubg breed is much more likely to attack than a well raised, laid back Staff.

AS I said earlier, the problem is at the other end of the lead.

You don't see many skinheads/dealers/eejits proudly showing off their Bichon Frise do you? That doesn't mean that a well raised GSD, Rotweiller, SBT will not make a great family pet, if they are cared for and trained correctly.

[Sbeanmum]

Let's ban cars from roads, they are potentially dangerous for children too.

Snore for the topic designed to enrage

[Vallhala]

OP - think about this:

Just a Staffy Cross

Today is just another day - to me they're all the same
I have the worst of genes you see, I bear the "Staffy" shame.
The shame is in our numbers, there's thousands with no home.
Thousands just like me you'll find, in kennels all alone.

My mum was "just a Staffy", my father - well who knows?
Mum, too, became unwanted, as the last puppy goes.
And then begins the process, of money-making deals
A life of "moving on" unfolds, who cares how the Staffy feels?
If you have the cash to hand, the Staffy pup is yours
But that pup is getting bigger now, just look at those big paws.

You brought me for your image, thought I'd make you look more tough
But you'll find my boisterous nature has already got too much.
If you had thought to train me, with kindness and with praise
You would have had a faithful friend to share your darkest days.
I would lay down my life for you, but you simply cannot see
You make sure you get your money back on what you paid for me.

And on it goes, until one day, I'm no longer worth a dime
The retail on an adult staff - not worth the waste of time.
So what happens to a Staffy now? Do you really want to know?
Do you care what will become of us, when we leave our final home?

Have you ever thought to wonder, "Where is that Staffy now?"
The "Staffy" has another name; he's become a "stray" somehow.
Me, I was put into a car and driven far away
The door held open, I jumped out, I thought to run and play.
It was with joy and happy heart I turned to look for you
You drove away with all my trust and a piece of my heart too.

I wondered round for many days before I was brought here.
Now I wait with heavy heart, trepidation and with fear.
Seven days is all I have you see, seven days for you to claim
The little dog that you threw out, for which you have no shame.

This is my last goodbye now my seven days are up
If only more thought had gone into the future of that pup
As the needle empties to my veins I lay down with one last sigh
I'm sorry I was born a Staffy, because it means that I must die.

• Trudie James

(owner of the Doris Banham Rescue)

[ShinyAndNew]

Vallhala that is so sad, but true. 90% of the dogs abandoned in this town are Staffs or Bull Terrier cross breeds.

Now a sensible, caring, decent dog owner, wouldn't just tie their dog up outside a shopping center and walk away would they?

Funnily enough, a recent article in my local paper highlighting such an act, went on to say what a friendly, loving dog the Staffie was. And how she was kept in their office while waiting to be collected by the kennel. Sounds very 'savage' eh?

[Meglet]

Yanbu. Any dog can be nasty but I am truly sick of all the dodgy owners having nasty status symbol dogs. Where I live there are many crap owners and quite a few illegal looking dogs too .

And I do love dogs, just not crap owners, who by and large have the real brutes padding along next to them, without a lead.

[thesunshinesbrightly]

I agree with Meglet.

[Rollmops]

'Status Symbol Dogs' - yes indeed, that 'status' is one of a moronic lowlife with an IQ of 65 at a stretch. Ban these types.
Poor dogs, really.

[wook]

YANBU!!!!!
Dog owners you are BU with some of your comments here.
Dogs should be on leads.
Owners should clear up their dogs' crap.
Some dogs are bloody scary!
I was in the park with a friend and her 8mo baby and a huge dog came bounding up, barking, knocked baby over from sitting, so that she was lying down and started licking baby's face. It was really scary. Then twat owner came along and said 'Oh she's only playing'

[LetThereBeRock]

I did say that dogs should be on leads and I do clear up my dog's 'crap'.

[wook]

Why 'crap' in inverted commas? Is it or is it not horrible germy crap that could blind a child ???????
Anyway, I should bloody well hope you do clear it up LetThereBeRock, most dog owners in our local park apparently don't.

[LetThereBeRock]

It's because I'm quoting. Not generally the phrase I'd use to describe it but it'll do. I wouldn't dream of leaving it there though I know that many owners do exactly that.

[ShinyAndNew]

The op didn't say AIBU to be annoyed by seeing dogs running loose ina childrens play park though did it?

It specifically mentions 'savage bull terrir types'. So presumbly she would be fine with ill trained yorkies running amock?

Had she posted about dogs in general being allowed loose in a park, then she would most likely have gotten a completely different response. And btw I do not own a dog.

[LadyOfTheFlowers]

Not getting into this discussion, but am genuinely interested in the blindness thing - I thought it was a type of worm or something in the poo that caused blindness, so if the dog is wormed correctly, it's poo won't cause blindness.

Am off to Google now but thought would get a quicker answer here?

[Vallhala]

Its Toxoplasmosis you're referring to Lady, an it's a parasite. About a third of us carry the infection unknowingly and with no ill effects at any one time.

Like the propaganda about certain dog breeds the risks of toxoplasmosis have been hegely exaggerated in the media etc.

[Vallhala]

Oh gosh, I really must remember to preview before I hit post message".

Sorry for the typos.

[onagar]

Yeah, your child can roll around in dogshit loads of times without losing their sight from toxoplasmosis. I don't know what all the fuss is about.

As for propaganda some breeds were bred to be really good at sinking their teeth into small animals and holding on tight until they are dead. Poodles were not as far as I know bred to attack and kill so there is a difference. It's not prejudice, it's just the truth.

I've said before that I don't blame the animal and I don't, but it's generally the animal that is leaping up you and not the owner. In my experience there is never enough time to conduct a proper interview to discover the owners commitment to training and learn the dogs history to know if it is going to attack or not.

[LetThereBeRock]

Er I don't think anyone has said that you should be doing that. The dogs shouldn't be leaping up on people regardless of their intention. It's inconsider to allow one's dog to do so.

And there is a difference between dog aggression and people aggression. Bad breeders and owners have tried to breed dogs like Staffies for aggression towards people when that was never their purpose.

They and similar dog breeds were used for dog fighting.
Dog aggression was desirable in that 'sport' of course but not people aggression as the owners had to be allowed to handle and check over their opponent's dog and if the dog was people aggressive that wouldn't be possible. And neither would it be desirable for one's dog to attack when you're trying to separate them from the other dog so having a people aggressive staffie made little sense.

[LetThereBeRock]

Inconsiderate sorry.

[ShinyAndNew]

Labradors were bred as hunters too, do they get bad press?
What about Jack Russels?
Daschounds?
Beagles?
Spaniels?

Also Staffordshire Bull Terriers in particular were originally bred as fighting dogs. A trait which was bred into them to make them more efficent fighters was the strong jaw yes, but also their love and loyalty to people. You see the fighting dog owners needed to be able to handle their 'savage' dogs when they were in a state of excitement to treat any wounds that occured during the fight.

It was after fighting was 'officially' banned that Staffordshires became widely used as gun dogs.

[ShinyAndNew]

Ah I see letthereberock got in first. I must learn to type faster. Lol.

here's an interesting link. Have a peek at what it says under characteristics

[notasausage]

YABVU Am so with this rubbish I cannot be bothered to elaborate. Are you for real op?

[Vallhala]

An hour ago I received an email, the type of which I receive almost every other day.

Out there in a Kent pound there are 12 SBTs/SBT crosses. I have a photo of each of these 12 dogs. ALL area people-friendly. ALL have been abandoned by people and left to die in the streets.... and ALL will be dead on the concrete floor of that pound on the 28th of October unless some compassionate bugger like me finds a place for them in Rescue, where they can be assessed, vaccinated, neutered, microchipped, treated for illness and eventually rehomed.

Thanks a fcking lot to the OP with her crass remarka and similar ones made by certain others for making my job that bit harder as a result of their prejudice and ignorance and the lives of those and thousands of other innocent* dogs even more vulnerable.